Schultz Bird-day

This past Sunday was our very first wedding anniversary and we went up to Taylors to have a mini vacation. RV and Sofie joined us since they're being punks and are moving away at the end of this month.

Friday was a pretty mellow day and we messed around in the cave a bit. Katie quickly repeated the center line on the Pharoah boulder and then RV flashed both the center and the left. At first he ridiculed me for my awesome 'campus smearing' method but soon he understood.

RV on Pharoah Right

Katie and Sofie started working cave center to cave left and Katie quickly dispatched that one.

Katie repeating Pharoah Center

I figured out all the moves on the cave traverse once more but my motivation was never there this past weekend. I made a few good links but never anything substantial. As always it feels like piss in two parts but impossible when all put together.

We got a pretty serious rainstorm Saturday morning and then were quickly mobbed by some big fucking mosquitos. They actually picked up and moved RV's Jetta. No joke.

After a sub par meal at Nacho Mama's in Stillwater we went back to the potholes and screwed around on some really fun moderates with polished everything. Really cool features and lots of jackassery from yours truly made for a fun afternoon. Later on that day we went back to the cave so Sofie could finish up the center line which she promptly did. RV put on his boots but Katie and I just sat around killing bugs until they packed up.

Sunday was definitely the most eventful day as far as climbing goes. Everything started out at the Cave. I had a few really good efforts on the traverse but it just wasn't coming together. RV on the other hand was looking stronger than ever on it and then one time he hopped on, cruised through the drop move and bumped up to the good left hand edge.

Done. In the bag. Crushing it.


Then I remembered who I was dealing with. I turned around to get some glory shots on the finish jugs and all I heard between screams of encouragement was a grunt and then the flutter of moving pads as the punt fairies came to town.

Fucking punter.


We packed the bags and went over to the potholes and screwed around by slicksides. It was toasty over there and the sun was just baking on the dark rock. RV quickly did the prow problem and I quickly punted on it over and over. Motivation was not high. We all messed around on a random traverse and then booked it over to the Wisconsin side once more to play on Mike's.

A couple things here.

1 - That is a fucking hard V7.

2 - RV and I were apparently starting one move before the actual problem started. Awesome.

I was finally able to figure out some decent beta by going up right hand into the first seam off of the giant undercling. RV couldn't quite get it to work though and eventually just helped me figure out the upper moves. Sadly my skin couldn't quite make it and before I could really put any serious effort into finishing it I had to give up.

That said, after two work days it feels doable. But balls hard for a 7. I do love the Midwest.

Sorry RV. I had to. Click this one for a laugh.

Now to the important stuff.

Cake and booze. We went to the grocery store and got a birthday cake. Then we went to the liquor store and got some "viskey" and brandy.

Sofie quickly and quietly polished off half of Brandy. Solo. Proud.

Before...

After.

The next day we stopped in Minneapolis to see Josh at Organic. RV and Sofie hadn't met Josh and it's always nice seeing him. As always he's got some cool things going on there and on top of everything I got to oogle his new plastic. His homewall in PA is gonna be sick! Katie got to play with Barndog a little bit and it was a nice end to the trip.

Every time I hang out with Josh I find more reasons to support his business and this time was no different. I'm always surprised at how often his designs are blatantly copied and sold as original ideas. It's bullshit really. As a bonus he's one of the few dudes out there that's coming up with new and cool ideas. So that's something, right?

Anyways. Buy Organic. Lots of it. Buy Five Ten. Buy Mountain Hardwear. Buy Nicros. Buy Pusher/Revolution. More on all that soon though.

The weather is turning and Katie and I are getting psyched about a lot of different trips and it's time to train again. I ran 3.6 miles today and it sucked. Fucking blew. I feel good now though. That's what matters.

Here are some more pics for ya.

Katie on the Cave Traverse

Sofie on Cave Center to Cave Left

Sofie on Pharoah Center

Sofie roasting cinnamon rolls in the AM.

I gotta have one of these in every post, right?

Mike's Left

Sofie's Senior Picture.

Katie getting rid of the mosquitos.

Go Here. Read This.

Here.

I met Lee briefly this summer at OR at the Petzl sales meeting and I'm glad that I'll be able to spend a bit more time with him going forward. Crazy story.

On a cheerier note we're going up to Taylors Falls tomorrow morning. Should be a fun little trip and a nice chance to get out of madison for a bit. Here are some more pics from last weekend to keep you satiated.

Bunch of pics of RV looking like a jackass. Sorry bud.

Bolderz

Couple of Katie on the Godfather.

Weekend

So the weekend came and went without a whole lot of excitement. Here are a few things I learned...

1 - Eggnuts is strong. He did Bagatelle and then promptly came over to Beautiful Soup and almost sent the rig with the good betas. It'll happen soon bud. He also gave me two bumper stickers that said "What Would Steve Dew?". Apparently he put one on Rhoad's jeep. Awesome.

2 - White Whiskey is not bad at all. I'd go as far as saying it's downright tasty even. Well done Death's Door. Well done. Go here.

3 - The Jewel boulder is absolutely hands down one of the most badass talus boulders I've seen at the lake. Good fucking find Rhoads. I look forward to climbing on its bountiful jugs. There is a bit of bird poop on the top but that is NO reason not to climb on this thing. It is rad in every sense of the word and the whole area up there could be one of the premier moderate areas at the lake with a bit of work. I look forward to developing it soon.

4 - The East Bluff has a lot of potential for new stuff. I did not see anything standard setting but we saw so much rock that there has to be good stuff stowed away in there.

5 - Dodge has some fucking horrifying spiders. God damn.

6 - Alpine Bouldering Club is not a summer destination. After a fucking death slog up to the boulder RV promptly punted off of the topout on his first go. In the process he knocked down one of the aforementioned spiders and we all stared in awe. I am wholly convinced that they are the reason for the extinction of the dinosaurs. 100%. RV promptly sent soon after and we got the hell out of there.

7 - Grounded For Life is still one of my favorites at Dodge. That said, yet another terrifying spider was hiding in one of the pockets and I'm sure that it could eat me whole....one bite. Gone. Katie quickly repeated GFL and we moved on from that spider infested hellhole.

8 - Running fucking sucks. A lot. I ran 2 miles yesterday and wanted to die.

That is all. There will be more pictures tomorrow but I have to leave here so this is all you get. Such a cool boulder and RV gives it some perspective.

Eggballs

So out of everyone we climb with I think Mr. EggNuts is the only person that I don't have embarrassing photos of. This is a sure sign of not climbing with him enough. He's elusive I tell you.

That said, it's his birthday. I think he's like 87 or something like that. Not totally sure but pretty certain of it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

These will have to suffice until I get embarrassing pictures of you. I love teh google.






As for actually climbing....this weekend will be rad in so many ways. GET OUT!!!!!

Punt Of The Month - August

Oh man it's been busy over here at the headquarters of the Gnar. Not busy enough to forget about the Punt Of The Month though!!!!

Drumroll Please!!!!






You left us Mr. Ray Soto. You didn't even say goodbye. You just left a mediocre climbing dvd in our mailbox and some water trying in vain to pose as beer in our fridge. You sir, truly earned this award.

You came. You punted. You left.

Honestly Ray, we all loved having you around this summer and I'm personally very happy I got to meet you and hang out with you as much as I could in the brief two months you spent in Madison. Moments and coincidence's like these are what I really love about our tiny ass little community.

For those of you that don't know, here's how it went.

1 - I sent pics of us being Rad to Josh to put up on his Organic bookFace page.
2 - Josh put said Rad pics up.
3 - Ray commented on said Rad pics.
4 - Josh told me to comment on Ray's comment that he was going to be in Madison for 2 months.
5 - I commented like any good boy would.
6 - We "friended" each other on bookFace.
7 - Ray came rok climbing with us at the sweaty gym and sacrificed any and all skin to the Flapper God.
8 - I informed him of RV's blatant racism.
9 - We inducted Ray into our group cause he was absurd.
10 - Ray got drunk, looked like he was gonna puke, had bad gas instead, left us a mediocre DVD and then drove back to Wyoming.

There you have it. 10 easy steps to heartbreak.

We miss you Ray. You've always got a place to stay!